


One Day At A Time

by ValidEmail (orphan_account)



Category: Falsettos - Lapine/Finn
Genre: Gen, Sad, aftermath of falsettos, he also has great friends, i love heather levin, jason loves his dads, trigger warning - f slur
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-06
Updated: 2018-03-06
Packaged: 2019-03-27 15:35:31
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,287
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13883850
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/ValidEmail
Summary: Jason's first day back at school after his bar mitzvah. A story filled with cute girls, great best friends, and fathers who sometimes just understand without needing to be told.





	One Day At A Time

**Author's Note:**

> i will have a new series out on wednesday, guys!! get excited, it's gonna be a little short, then i'll come out with another short falsettos one, and then the m c p r i c e l e y one will finally come out

The first day, Jason remembered was the hardest. After being out of school for as long as his mother thought was suffice, he was packed up and shipped back into the place that he had once loved for the infinite knowledge it presented him - now, though, the sight of the old brick building just made him want to bolt. His mother gave him a shaky smile, face held tight at the edges, while his stepfather had a rushed and whispered conversation with the secretary. She had a Walter Mondale sign stuck on the side of her desk, obviously already preparing for 1984, so during the entire conversion between her and Mendel she had an understanding look on her face. Jason turned away from it.

 

He got into class late, and when he did, the entire class halted in the morning discussion to stare wide-eyed at him. Pressing his lips together, he quickly nodded a hello to his English teacher, and scurried back to his seat close to the center of his class, beside his best friend Matthew and the usually distracting Heather Levin. He paid her no attention, though, just stared straight ahead, and wondered what Whizzer might have given him as advice for this current situation if he had still been alive. But, if he was alive, then Jason wouldn’t be going through this in the first place. The teacher clapped her hands, signaling for them to join up with their partners. Matthew slid his desk over, the noise it made against the tiles causing Jason to flinch. Matthew poked his arm with a stubby pencil, shooting him a slightly excited thirteen-year-old grin.

 

“How’d your bar mitzvah go? Better than mine, hopefully,” Matthew asked him quizzically, referencing the incident which involved Matthew’s unlucky aunt and an even unluckier bowl of homemade punch. At the time, the sight had made Jason crumble to the ground in laughter, though now he just gave a sigh in response to his best friend. Matthew blinked, but continued on, determined to cheer Jason up.

 

“By the way, when are we gonna visit your…” He lowered his voice, as to not draw any attention from the rest of the chattering class. “ _Dad’s boyfriend?_ My mom made him cookies, and I know that weird sickness or whatever that he has makes him not want to eat, but I thought that you and your family could eat them if he doesn’t. Maybe your dad, since he spends so much time in that hospital room-”

 

“Whizzer died,” Jason found the words vomiting from his lips before he had a chance to slap a hand over his mouth, gaze not moving from the board until he dared to look over at his best friend. Matthew’s face was a look of utter horror, but it was a fraction of the pain that had shot through Jason’s heart after Whizzer’s collapse and consequent death right in the middle of his bar mitzvah. A silence rumbled over them, and then Matthew bent over to dig through his bag. Jason furrowed his eyebrows in confusion, and he shuffled in his seat to see what his best friend was doing. After a moment, Matthew emerged victorious with a tupperware full of assorted cookies. He shoved it into Jason’s chest, seemingly not caring about whether or not the teacher would see them not even attempting to do their work.

 

“Here,” Matthew offered, Jason staring down at the tupperware in complete surprise. “I told my mom that your dad liked sugar cookies the best, so she mostly made those. You should give those to him, or the rest of your family. It doesn’t matter.” Jason, with shaking hands, took the tupperware, still gazing at it. After a moment, he lifted his head, and clutched the cookies to his chest, tears shining in his bright Bambi brown eyes.

 

“Thank you,” He choked out, Matthew blinking rapidly in order as to not tear up. “You’re really the best friend a guy could ask for.” Matthew opened his mouth, most likely to console him, when their English teacher cleared her throat. She stared down at the two behind her thick-framed sunglasses, ones she never took off.

 

“Gentlemen, I’m not sure that sharing cookies are part of the task at hand,” Miss Goldberg told them distastefully. Jason was quick to put the tupperware away, but Matthew came to his defense as he was bending over to place it into his bookbag.

 

“He’s going through some family troubles right now, that’s why I gave him cookies,” Matthew explained matter-of-factly, his know-it-all tone giving away the reason he and Jason were best friends, besides the fact that he was extremely kind. Plus, he was the only kid who could beat Jason in chess.

 

“Family troubles your parents didn’t decide to inform me with? You Cohens are such messes all the time,” She shook her head, mumbling something about Jason’s father. He didn’t question his English teacher, instead just gave her a timid look. The instant she saw his tear-streaked face, she took a double take in surprise.

 

“My uh...my dad died,” Jason’s words faded off into a whisper at the end, as he sniffled in an effort to keep the flood of tears inside. “During my bar mitzvah.”

 

“Which dad is this now?” Miss Goldberg asked him, leaning down to his full height. While she was not a comforting teacher, she was Jason’s favorite for the sole purpose of her rapidly changing personality. She’d tell you to suck it up one day, and the next lead you down to the nurse’s office herself.

 

“I guess he wasn’t technically my dad,” Jason flushed in embarrassment about talking about this, then chided himself inwardly for still curling up in slight fear whenever homosexuality was mentioned. “He was my dad’s boyfriend. Whizzer Brown.”

 

“He was the one that barged in that one time and proceeded to threaten a bunch of eighth graders for bullying you, yes? Also the one that started crying and cheering obnoxiously when you presented your project on ‘Plants Reacting to Different Types of Music,’ and then yelled at you when you admitted you had bought that off of a high school student,” Jason gave a feeble giggle at the memory of that, then burst into tears. The entire class turned to look at him.

 

_The bullying fiasco of March 1981, as the family liked to call it, started when Jason came home from school in tears. It was a Friday, so he had just burst through the apartment door of his two fathers, when Whizzer noticed his tear-stained face peek out from the side of the kitchen island, having been too distracted by singing along to an Aretha Franklin record to notice him come in._

 

_“Jason? What happened, buddy?” Whizzer called out, long legs stalking around the counter to see his son shaking, tears streaming down his face. Instantly, he pulled him into a hug, Jason barely reaching his chest._

_“They-they threw me in a dumpster,” His words were muffled, but his dad heard them loud and clear. Holding him closer, he glanced around in worry in the direction of his adoptive child._

 

_“Who? Jason, who did this to do?” He bent down, and brushed the curls that had fallen onto Jason’s forehead due to his fast-paced race from the school, bruises lining the spots Whizzer traced with his fingertips._

 

_“The kids at school, Pa,” Jason whimpered into his dad’s soft hands, which were cupping his face carefully. Whizzer pressed two fingers against the sides of his nose in order to stop the blood that was streaming from that. Jason hadn’t even noticed it. “Danny and his gang.”_

 

_“What were they bullying you about?” Whizzer questioned quietly, soothing voice rolling over his son in waves._

 

_“They called me a fag. Said I’d die just like my Pa and my Dad would,” He began to shake, tears rolling down his cheeks and mixing with the blood on his face. In an instant, Whizzer’s face hardened, the same expression he had worn after Marvin had hit Trina. It was a look of concealed anger, determination, and he straightened his legs._

 

_“I’ll go to school with you, tomorrow, alright? I’ve got an idea to get these assholes to stop bothering you,” He hissed, Jason nodding. He then led Jason into the bathroom, and cleaned off his cuts, before cuddling him in the way a mom might. The way Trina might. Jason didn’t mind._

 

_The next day, Whizzer marched into Jason’s middle school, his child in tow. Jason hid behind his tall legs, slightly scared as to what his dad might do._

 

_“Which one are the ones that hurt you?” Whizzer whispered to him once they had reached the crowded playground, as the children were hanging out before school officially started. Jason gestured over to a group of tough-looking eighth graders, and Whizzer scowled. His eyes practically shot lasers in the direction of the troublemakers. Speedily strolling over, he rested his hands on his hips, and gave a pointed cough. One by one, all three of the boys turned and looked over his entire body, obviously intimidated by his tall frame._

 

_“Heard you’ve been bullying Jason,” Whizzer began, folding his arms across his chest. The leader, most likely Danny, huffed at that._

 

_“Aren’t you the guy Jason’s fag dad left his mom for?” He sneered. “My dad says homosexuality is contagious.” Whizzer narrowed his eyes dangerously._

 

_“Well, I suppose if you want to look at it that way, then you wouldn’t want anything to do with Jason, since he is technically exposed to me and his father’s relationship constantly. The relationship in which I am romantically involved with a man,” As he hissed this, he inched closer. One of the teachers watching the students glanced over in slight worry. “Whom I take baths with. Naked. I’ve got two things to tell you kids, so get your heads out of your asses and pay attention.”_

 

_“One,” He stood to his full height, using that to his advantage. “Marvin and I, that’s Jason’s father, probably love each other more than any of your heterosexual parents probably ever have. Number two, if I caught you bothering Jason ever again, whether it’s beating him up or teasing him, you’ll regret it more than your dad regrets not pulling out the day you were conceived, which, believe me, is plenty.”_

 

_“Mr. Brown!” The teacher from before, the sixth grade Science teacher, Miss April - who had hit on Whizzer before realizing he was gay - called out. The scandalized tone of her voice made it clear she had heard every word he had spoken. Whizzer poked the kid’s stomach, Danny stumbling backwards, and then turned to face her with the widest grin Jason had ever seen._

 

_“I was just leaving, Miss April,” He winked coolly, and waved a goodbye to Jason. His son returned the sentiment, smiling in utter adoration and amazement at his dad._

 

Jason, after being calmed down, was sent off to his Social Studies class. He had already missed second period, fortunately. The day was going faster than what Jason had expected. Matthew had to depart for Math, but he patted his best friend’s shoulder reassuringly before going off. Luckily, Social Studies featured Heather Levin as his table partner, which meant they’d have to talk to one another. Usually, Jason would be overjoyed about this. When he arrived late, though, he simply strode to his seat, and shut his mouth. His classmate looked at him worriedly, as she had seen him burst into tears during the previous class.

“Hey,” She asked timidly when the teacher sent them off to do partner work. “You alright? Last class you didn’t seem so hot.” Jason smiled sheepishly at her imploring. Though he was in mourning, being cared about by a pretty girl was still going to make him blush.

 

“My dad died on the day of my bar mitzvah. That’s why I was out,” He explained to her softly, voice barely a whisper. Her face contorted in sympathy.

 

“Oh, Jason,” She squeezed his hand that was lying empty, since he had not yet picked up his pencil. Even if it was quick, it still sent Jason’s heart racing. “That’s awful. I can’t imagine what that would feel like. How’d he die?”

 

“A sickness,” Jason told her, not wanting to go into details. “They don’t really know much about it. A lot of men have been dying from it, though. That’s what my aunt told my step-dad.” Heather nodded, very obviously not knowing really anything about what he was telling her.

“I’m sorry,” She apologized, Jason instantly cringing inwardly. A sorry was all he had gotten from family members over the past few days, besides those closest to him. “I really liked Marvin.” Jason blinked in surprise.

 

“No, no, Marvin didn’t die,” He corrected her. “My dad’s boyfriend did.” As soon as the words were out of his mouth, he slapped his hands over them. Heather stared him, emotions unreadable.

 

“Oh,” Heather drifted off, deep in thought. “He was the man with the popped collars, right? Who fought with the PTA when they insulted him for bringing cookies to the bake sale.”

 

“Whizzer’s a better baker than all of them combined,” Jason snarked, Heather laughing adorably. Her curls bounced along with her shoulders, and Jason’s heart practically stopped with puppy love.

 

_“My school’s having a bake sale to raise money for the sports teams,” What started a nice topic for dinner conversation turned into a massacre, along with the ultimate reason Whizzer was never allowed on the school grounds again. He was perched beside Jason’s father, the two draped across one another, as Jason lounged on the Laz-i-Boy a few feet away from them._

 

_“Ah, yes, the annual bake sale,” Marvin took a sip from his red wine, Whizzer choosing to daggle his wine glasses from his thin fingers. They were curled up together, feet tangled up. It didn’t bother Jason anymore._

 

_“I could bake something, sweetheart,” Whizzer suggested, eyeing his son lovingly. Jason shrugged non committedly. “I’m a good baker.”_

 

_“Not a good cook,” Marvin muttered, his lover shooting him a well-deserved glare, though he sunk further into Marvin’s hold._

 

_“Cookies,” Whizzer decided after a moment, humming his approval. “That’ll be good, right? Cookies. And Trina can make brownies.”_

 

_“Should Cordelia bake something too?” Jason questioned innocently, Whizzer and Marvin exchanging looks._

 

_“Maybe you shouldn’t mention this to her,” Whizzer decided on after a moment. “She’s busy with the catering for your bar mitzvah, after all.” Jason nodded, and went back to scribbling out a doodle of his family._

 

_About a week afterwards, Whizzer and Trina arrived in the school gym with Jason on a Friday, plates of baked goods held in their hands. Strolling over to the women gathering up the others and placing them onto spread out tables, Whizzer smiled good naturedly at the mother's. One glanced up, red hair bobbing, and eyed the baked goods with a joyful smile on her face._

 

_“You must be here for the bake sale, thank you,” She shook Whizzer’s hand, and Trina’s hand. “I’m Josie, the PTA president.” She waved to Jason, who frowned at her. Whizzer patted his back, and handed over the cookies Josie placing them neatly on the table. Trina did the same with her brownies._

 

_“Are you two going to stay here to help hand out the baked goods?” She asked them sweetly. Trina glanced over at Whizzer, who nodded. There were other children mulling around the gym, most likely waiting for their mothers to finish up. Trina nudged Jason in their direction. He glared furiously at his mother, but still marched over there dutifully._

 

_“Not a friendly boy, is he?” Josie questioned rather rudely, Whizzer furrowing his eyebrows at her protectively._

 

_“Just because he likes spending more time alone doesn’t mean he’s unfriendly,” Whizzer told her. “You have no idea what he’s like.” Trina poked Whizzer in the side warningly. Her friend shot her a scowl, but calmed down._

 

_“Trina, how have you been?” One of the other moms, a woman by the name of Susan, asked politely, unfolding her cake onto the table. Trina froze, and Whizzer whipped his head towards her like a deer caught in the headlights of a truck._

 

_“Good,” Trina replied distantly. “Mendel’s got his work cut out for him, but good. We’re uh… we’re getting ready for Jason’s Bar Mitzvah.” Whizzer’s heart practically stopped at the realization that everyone knew. Everyone knew who he was. Or, who he used to be. Susan nodded, then twisted around to face Whizzer._

 

_“Are you Whizzer?” Susie raised an eyebrow, Whizzer freezing up. He swallowed, and realized that all of the PTA women were staring at him expectedly._

 

_“Yes,” He answered shakily, Trina rolling her eyes and resting a hand on his arm to calm his nerves. “Has Trina talked about me before?” The women exchanged glances, some fearful, some smug. Trina grimaced and took her hand away guiltily._

 

_“She’s mentioned a few things,” Josie smirked. “So, how are things with you and Marvin?” Whizzer flushed in embarrassment, then swallowed, hiking up his pride and putting on a front like he usually did._

 

_“They’re splendid, actually,” He told her non-chantantly. “I assumed Trina told you about how we got back together during Jason’s baseball game? Quite a soap opera situation, if you ask me. But the sex is good, so I stay.” Susan’s mouth dropped open at the usual balantness of Whizzer. Trina grinned behind one of her hands._

 

_“Trina did tell us that,” Josie spoke slowly, her plan of making the man uncomfortable back-firing almost instantly. “She also told us that you gave Marvin Hepatitis.” Whizzer shot a well-deserved glare towards Trina for that one, who stopped smiling._

 

_“Among other things,” Whizzer replied after a moment. “I also gave him his first blowjob, syphilis, most of last month’s rent, and the ability to finally enjoy life.” He smiled then, showing off his pearly whites._

_“Marvin broke up with you over chess,” Francesca, one of the other moms who had recently arrived, added in, a face of confusion coming onto her features. “Why would you get back together with him?”_

 

_“He’s changed in the past two years,” Whizzer sighed softly, eyes glazing over. “And so have I. I’ve grown up quite a bit, at least. I’ve stayed at the peak of physical beauty, though.” He flipped his curled up quiff, the hair bouncing in place. It went silent for a moment_

 

_“Oh,” Josie remarked, voice strained while she revealed her chocolate-chip cookies. “You made cookies as well. I guess that’s because you’ve never been to one of these things, Whizzer, but I’m always the one to make the cookies. I’m the best baker here.” Whizzer turned his upper lip, snarling slightly at the woman._

 

_“Not for long, bitch,” Whizzer snapped roughly, and took off the wrapping around his cookies. “I’ve always been good at defeating competition.” Josie snorted._

 

_“Well, there certainly weren’t a lot of opponents fighting you for Marvin, eh? Besides his insecure ex-wife and his uncaring son,” She retaliated, Whizzer narrowing his eyes._

 

_“Listen up, lady,” He jabbed a finger in her direction, and rested a hand on her hip. Trina sighed exasperatedly in the background. “Marvin is the most caring man I’ve ever met in my entire life. I don’t give a shit about what you think of him, or my son, or Trina, because your opinion has no place in our family.” Josie folded her arms, and Whizzer growled._

 

_“Your kids are fat, and so is your husband,” He finished, Susan gasping distantly. “My cookies are so much fucking better than yours that at the end of this you’re gonna be shoving them down your own fatass throat.”_

 

_“Whiz, stop cursing in front of the kids!” Trina chided, Whizzer waving her off. Josie suddenly leapt over the table, legs banging into it slightly as she soared towards Whizzer. The table crashed to the ground, and both kids and moms alike watched as the woman landed on Whizzer, who followed in the table’s footsteps with a loud “oof!”_

 

_The two began to wrestle on the ground, Whizzer slugging the woman in the face with a warcry that was completely unnecessary. Josie’s two twin boys, Charlie and Thomas, turned towards Jason, who was watching the fight excitedly._

 

_“Is that your dad?” Charlie asked in disbelief as Whizzer climbed on top of Josie, screeching as he yanked at her hair._

 

_“Say you’re sorry!” Whizzer shrieked, the woman banging her fists into the ground, pleading to the sky to be let go. Jason didn’t move his eyes from the scene before him, a small, amazed grin spreading across his face._

 

_“Yeah,” Jason replied, nodding. Trina rushed into the scene then to break them apart, Whizzer clawing at her in return. “That’s my dad.”_

 

Jason arrived in art class, and immediately took a seat by the back. They were presenting photography projects today, and the added pain from Whizzer’s death with the fact that Whizzer had helped him mostly with the photo-taking since that was his profession broke his heart. The rest of the kids gathered, and Jason remembered with a heavy heart that neither Heather nor Matthew were in his same class. Meaning he was left to fend for himself.

 

“As you all know, we’re presenting our photography projects today,” Miss Diamond instructed them, fiddling with her glasses. “Who would like to go first?” Jason shrunk in his seat, and sighed thankfully as he watched the hand of Tyler Robinson shoot up in the front row.

 

“Tyler, you can come up here, and show off some of your pictures. You don’t have to do all of them,” She smiled kindly at him, and he bounced up. He set his portfolio on the small table in front of the board, and then moved to stand behind it.

 

“This is me and my dad fishing,” He presented the photo to the class, all of which leaned forward to see. Jason took note that the picture was pretty blurry. “And this is me and my grandparents at Disney World.” He took out the picture, which was much more clear. It was a nice, perfect family photo.

 

“I took a few at my mom and dad’s vow renewal ceremony,” He grabbed about five, and passed them around the class. A few girls gushed at how adorable all of the guests looked. Jason glanced at one photo, then passed it to the next person. He didn’t really care.

 

“And then my last bunch of pictures are just me at our soccer tournament,” He held the picture of his team proudly into the sky, all clutching the trophy with wide smiles on their faces. Miss Diamond began to clap, as did the rest of the class. Jason rolled his eyes, and folded his arms across his chest.

 

“Who’s next?” This time, ten hands shot into the air, and Jason silently pumped a fist into the air, no one looking his way since he was curled up in the back. With his luck, he wouldn’t have to present that period.

 

After about fifteen or so people had gone, all droning on about their mothers making breakfast, their fathers barbecuing, their straight, perfect families having fun, Miss Diamond’s eyes landed on Jason in the midst of the raised, pleading hands.

 

“Jason, how about you go next? You’ve been awfully quiet,” She offered, and gestured for him to come up. Flushing, Jason sat in his seat, refusing, for a moment, before sighing. Whizzer had always told him to just go along with what teachers told him to do. It would be easy to get through the day, and he would get less detentions that way. So Jason scooped up his portfolio, which was bursting with pictures, unlike the rest of the kids, and briskly walked to the front of the classroom. As he did so, hushed whispers ran through the crowd. Though, when he cleared his throat to begin his presentation, they all went silent.

 

“Uh, this is my aunt cooking,” He presented the photo with shaking hands of a grinning Cordelia, waving at the camera while she struggled to pull out burnt cookies from the oven. “She’s not really that good of a cook, obviously.”

 

“And, um, this is my stepdad, Mendel, and my mom, Trina, at their wedding,” Jason retrieved the photo. As it was true he had not had the project when they had gotten married, he had started photography long before the class, in an effort to be more like Whizzer. He set the picture down, and took a deep breath.

 

“This is my entire family at my first baseball game,” He showed a picture of all of them sitting on the bleachers. Trina was snuggled up against Mendel, the lesbians cuddled together. Marvin had an arm slung around Whizzer’s waist, the taller grinning goofily at the camera. “See, that’s my aunt Charlotte, my aunt Cordelia, Mendel, Trina, my dad, Marvin, and my other dad...Whizzer.” He stumbled over the name, fighting back tears. One kid in the first row raised his hand, and Jason motioned towards him.

 

“You have three dads?” He gushed, raising an eyebrow. Jason nodded unsurely, and the kid smiled toothily. “That’s so cool!” Jason returned the expression nervously, and his shaking disappeared just slightly.

 

“And this is my dad and Whizzer at Charlotte’s birthday,” He presented the photo of the two embracing, grinning lovingly at the camera. You could see the sparkle in both of their eyes from space. “That was also their four month anniversary, I think.” Another hand.

  


“You’ve got fag dads?” Samantha, a girl in the second row, asked bluntly. Her friend shushed her angrily, and Samantha shot her a look. Miss Diamond glared at both of them, Samantha’s friend curling in on herself. “What? It’s just a question!” Jason swallowed roughly.

 

“They aren’t fags!” Jason defended them heatedly. “They...They loved each other as much as your mom and dad probably do. Or whatever your family looks like. Just because mine isn’t convent..conventional doesn’t mean it’s bad.” The anger shifted off of his face. Instantly, the room fell quiet. Miss Diamond placed a hand on Jason’s back, as he began to quiver slightly.

 

“Jason, are you alright?” She whispered, and he nodded, squeezing his eyes shut. _Don’t cry. Don’t cry._ After a few seconds, he fished through the portfolio, and with even shakier hands, showed the class a slightly fuzzy photo.

 

“This is my dad and Whizzer when Whizzer was in the hospital,” Jason explained the frail man lying in the hospital bed. His dad was sat beside the bed, clutching one hand in his as he murmured into the fingers, the taller man in the bed seemingly asleep. It had been taken from a doorway.

 

_Whizzer’s condition had progressively been getting worse and worse. The sores on his face and arms were more noticable, and he could barely walk without collapsing if there wasn’t something to lean on. His family were worried about him, of course, but they were more worried about Marvin, who probably hadn’t slept completely in about a week. He spent all hours by Whizzer’s bedside, watching him carefully, whispering words of love, encouraging him to stay alive. When finally Cordelia had convinced Marvin to go back to the apartment and sleep, Jason had slipped into the room to replace his father._

 

_“J,” Whizzer croaked out, a smile on his face. It stretched the sores on his cheeks. “Did they finally convince your dad to give it a rest?” Jason scooped himself onto the chair that Marvin had been keeping close for the past week or so, and watched his third dad._

 

_“Yeah, Cordelia ushered him home,” Jason swung his legs as he explained this. “I uh, I didn’t bring the chess set today. Sorry.” Whizzer waved him off, and cracked his eyes open slightly, the edges puffy from crying._

 

_“Kid, I don’t care,” Whizzer chuckled humorlessly, tilting his head slowly to look at Jason. “I’m just happy you’re here. I don’t like being alone these days.” Jason nodded._

 

_“Neither do I,” He agreed, and Whizzer reached out a slow hand to touch the side of Jason’s face, as though he had needed proof that he was actually there._

 

_“You’ll be alright, right? When I leave and all?” Whizzer asked him bluntly, it was his personality. He never jumped around a subject - he was always right to the chase. Jason blinked at him._

 

_“I think I’ll be okay, after some time,” Jason admitted. “I’m never really okay, though.” Whizzer nodded against his pillow, retracting his hand. Jason shot out his own to hold it tightly, clutching his father as though this was the last time he’d get to._

 

_“I don’t think dad will ever be, though,” Jason whispered, playing with Whizzer’s fingers. Whizzer pursed his lips, staring up at the bleak hospital ceiling._

 

_“Take care of him,” Whizzer ordered Jason softly. “Lord knows he can’t take care of himself.” Jason nodded, and squeezed Whizzer’s hand. After a moment, Whizzer shifted in the hospital bed, sliding down against the pillow as though he were about to go to sleep._

_“Now, when I wake up, I want to see a Marvin who’s gotten twelve hours of sleep, alright?” He teased Jason, and weakly squeezed Jason’s hand back, before drifting off. Jason sat there for about an hour or two, just watching Whizzer, the fear in his heart that Whizzer might pass away in his sleep eating away at his soul. Trina then beckoned him home, as visitor hours ended, and they left Whizzer to his dreams for another night._

 

“Why was he in the hospital?” Josh, a basketball player in the third row, questioned without even raising his hand.Jason let out a small sigh.

 

“We, uh, we don’t know,” He whispered, quivering in his shoes. “He just...got really sick really suddenly. No one expected it, but then he just kept getting worse, and worse, and…” He shook his head.

 

“He’s not the only one who’s got it,” Jason continued, letting a short breath of air through his nose. “My aunt, she’s a doctor, and a lot of men under her care have been suffering from this weird disease.”

 

“This is the last picture I want to show,” Jason announced to the class, and scooped up the picture Trina had taken of all of them at the Bar Mitzvah, the last photo they’d have together. “This is me and my family at my Bar Mitzvah. We had it in the hospital so that Whizzer could come.”

 

“This was the last photo we ever took...with him,” Jason rushed out, the tears flooding to his eyes once more. “I was out of school so long because...because he…” Jason knelt his head, and set the picture back onto the desk. Miss Diamond patted his back sympathetically, and the bell rang, thankfully. The kids rushed out, some throwing compliments to others on their photo projects.

 

“Hey, uh, I just wanted to tell you,” A blond girl, wispy blonde, who always sat close to the back as well ran up the front while Miss Diamond bustled off to get some work done on the other side of the art room. “I really liked your presentation. My mom’s brother was admitted to the hospital a little bit ago, and I think he has the same thing your dad had. So. It’s nice to know I’m not alone.” Jason smiled thankfully at her, the tears at the edge of his eyes. He didn’t know her name, but he welcomed the comfort.

 

 ***** ***** *****

 

Jason arrived in the lunchroom, and instantly, a hush fell over the gathered eighth graders. Swallowing, he trudged off towards his usual spot alone in the back of the room, cradling Trina’s perfectly crafted lunch in his skinny arms. Once he sat down, though, Matthew stood from his spot with the rest of the gamer nerds. All eyes fell onto him as he strolled over, and sat down beside Jason silently. Jason stared at him in wonder. No one ever sat next to him at lunch, even if Matthew was his best friend. He was the kid with the gay dads. The outcast.

 

After a moment or two, Heather stood as well, her friends whispering urgently at her to plop back down in her seat. She turned her head from them, though, and picked up her lunch tray, blond hair waving in the wind as she did so. Jason watched, mesmerized, as she made her way towards the table with Jason and Matthew. She took the spot on the other side of Jason, as if she and Matthew were his bodyguards, flanking him to protect him from the rest of the student body. Tears pricked in his eyes as he smiled at his two friends gladly. The students picked up low conversation once more, but every few seconds at least one or two people would glance back over towards the table of three.

 

“What’d your mom pack you for lunch?” Heather asked brightly, admiring Jason’s plaid lunchbox. Cordelia had sewn it for him. He looked at her in surprise to see that she was starting off the conversation, but opened his lunch box anyway, and presented the cheese sandwich.

 

“Cheese,” Matthew wrinkled his nose. “Gross. Cheese is like...cow snot, right?” Heather giggled, Jason letting out a small chuckle.

 

“Now I don’t want to eat it!” Jason joked, the two kids beside him laughing. They laughed together, then, and conversation flowed after that, the three digging into their lunches. It was during recess that the day really started up.

 

Since they were middle school students, they didn’t really get a playground. Their recess was spent throwing basketballs into hoops without nets along the side of the teacher’s parking lot, if you were popular. If you weren’t, you’d sit underneath the trees lying the kickball fields, and wait for the bell to ring.

 

“Crybaby,” One of the popular boys called towards Jason as he shuffled towards his regular tree spot with Heather and Matthew flanking him.

 

“His dad just died recently, give him a break,” Heather snapped angrily towards them, blond hair flying in the wind as she whipped her head towards them.

 

“Heather! Come on, they’re starting a game of Gaga by Mr. Henderson’s parking space,” Britney, one of the other popular girls, then appeared, waving her friend over. Heather glanced towards Jason and Matthew. Jason was sad, but understanding. Matthew’s glare was fierce, mostly because he was annoyed by the very thought of Heather abandoning her friend to hang with the popular kids.

 

“Sorry, Britney, maybe next time,” Heather told her, shrugging her shoulders. “I’m gonna hang with Jason and Matt.” She grinned at her two friends, Jason’s mouth falling open.

 

“You’re-you’re not gonna go with them?” He asked in disbelief. Heather shook her head, and began to walk again.

 

“Did you think I would?” She turned in the question on them. Jason and Matthew exchanged a look, before following after her. She led them past the last tree of the field, back towards the broken fence none of the lunch aides every really partolled. Double checking that there were no teachers watching, Heather ducked underneath the broken fence, crawling out into the small line of the trees that surrounded the parking lot, before leading out into the New York City streets. Matthew raised an eyebrow.

 

“Is this a good idea? We’re gonna get in so much trouble!” Jason squeaked, Heather rolling her eyes at him.

 

“Come on, don’t be such a loser. It’s just skipping school,” She argued. “Besides, you’re not missing much.” She held up the fence for them to follow. After a moment of hesitation, Jason crawled underneath the fence. Letting out a dramatic sigh, Matthew followed, and Heather dropped the fence. No one on the parking lot even noticed that they had gone.

 

“I’m only coming along because if I don’t you two will get yourselves killed,” Matthew promised them, as the trio pushed through the trees to emerge on the sidewalk. The cars whizzed past, and so did the strangers on the street. Heather let a grin spread across her face.

 

“Come on, let’s go to the cafe down the street,” Heather beckoned them, Jason gaping at her in shock, before shaking his head wildly.

 

“Are you crazy? They’ll totally recognize us there,” He thought for a moment, before a smile came across his face. “I’ve got a perfect place we can hide out until the end of school, and then we could just go back to my me and my dad’s apartment, since it’s Friday. Whizzer used to take me there all the time.”

 

_Jason, even before Whizzer interved, never liked school. Especially in the fall of 1979, when his dad went socio and his mother fell apart. The only real partneral figure in his life was his dad’s gay lover, which wasn’t saying much. So when he was called to the office for something his teacher wouldn’t say, Jason could have not been less surprised. Of course, when he walked into the office to see Whizzer standing there, leather jacket taut against his shoulders, the secretary tripping over her feet at the sight of him, Jason’s tune changed just slightly._

 

_“Your-uh- your uncle, here, has come to pick you up. Says you’ve got a dentist appointment,” Miss Flowers, the young, newly hired sanctuary explained as she straightened the collar of her button-up shirt, cheeks bright red. Whizzer shot his signature pearly white filled grin towards the both. Jason squinted due to the seemingly excess light Whizzer’s smile brought to the room._

 

_“No,” Jason told both the secretary and Whizzer firmly, pressing his lips tightly together. Why should he go anywhere with the man his dad had been secretly sleeping with for five months? He wanted to hate him, even if his hair was pretty cool. Whizzer, due to the fact that he was wearing sunglasses (probably to protect himself from being blinded by his own smile, the stupid bastard) didn’t present any other emotion besides the smile. The secretary, however, widened her eyes in slight surprise._

 

_“Jason, you have to,” She gestured to Whizzer, or, his “uncle.” Jason wrinkled his nose uncomfortably._

 

_“No, I don’t want to go. If I do have to go, get my dad to pick me up,” Jason folded his arms across his chest. The secretary glanced towards her desk in a flurry, and that’s when Whizzer lifted up one cool arm to the tip of his sunglasses. He tugged them down just about an inch, and winked at Jason silently, before replacing the sunglasses, a small, real smile on his face. Jason dropped his arms._

 

_Whizzer was not taking him to the dentist. He was going somewhere with him, but definitely not somewhere Trina nor Marvin approved, if the wink was any telling. While Jason didn’t really trust Whizzer as much as he should, the want to get his parents angry at his disapproving nature took over, and he returned the smile fakely._

 

_“Come on, Jason, let’s go, bud,” Whizzer motioned with one arm to the car, and directed him out the door. Jason shot the smile to the secretary, making sure to erase any bad feelings in the office before he and Whizzer stepped out the school doors. The tall man was silent, until they had gotten into his dad’s car, and instantly, Whizzer burst out into short snorts of laughter._

 

_“Oh man, did you see how she was just fuckin’ hanging off of me? Like she couldn’t take gadge my homosexuality from my popped collar? Jesus christ,” He hit his hand against the dashboard, unable to control himself. Jason watched for a moment in surprise, before joining in, though rather nervously._

 

_“Sorry, little dude, I just,” Whizzer wiped at his eyes, still chuckling slightly. “I had to get out of my photography studio. Too many gross hets, you know?” Jason shook his head, but the gay man in the driver’s seat wasn’t really listening. “Anyway, I decided that if I was gonna bail myself out, I’d bail you out too. Marvin’s already gonna be pissed at me.”_

 

_“Where are we going?” Jason questioned as he buckled his seatbelt, Whizzer pulling out of the parking spot. “Also, what does het mean?”_

 

_“We’re gonna go to the baseball field,” Whizzer took his sunglasses off, and Jason smiled slightly at how sparkly and young his eyes were. His father didn’t deserve that man. He drove off, Jason staring at how the cars and the people passed by. The trip didn’t take as long as Jason would think, but somehow, the cars became more and more spaced out, until they landed in an abandoned baseball field, the only car there. Whizzer stopped it, and unbuckled his seatbelt._

 

_“Come on, kid, I’ve got some shit I wanna show ya,” Whizzer slapped his back excitedly, and removed himself from the car. After a moment, Jason exited the car, trailing behind Whizzer as he led them onto the destroyed baseball diamond. The grass was over growing the sand, the plates had been stolen, and the fence around home was battered and broken. Still, Whizzer held a grin tight to his face._

 

_“Now, I didn’t grow up around New York City, of course, but back in Nevada, we had a baseball diamond just like this one,” Whizzer explained to him distantly, waving his hands around. “I haven’t played in years, but I promise you, I was the fucking best!”_

 

_He sprinted over to the dugout on the other side of them, and bent over. Jason squinted to see Whizzer emerge with a bat held tightly in his hands, a maniacal smile on his face as he marched it towards the small boy._

 

_“Take it, J,” Whizzer beckoned, and pushed it towards him. “Today, I’m gonna teach you how to play baseball.” Jason, hesitating, gave him an untrusting look._

 

_“What are you trying to pull over me? You’re not gonna make me like you by doing this. I hate sports,” Jason told him matter-of-factly. Whizzer shrugged, and pushed the bat into his chest imploringly._

 

_“You like chess,” Whizzer reasoned. “And you’re a loser, just like your dad, but at least with you can I work on that a little. Besides, kid, I know you aren’t gonna like me. I slept with your dad. No one is friends with the homewrecker. Ever.” Jason watched as Whizzer’s face fell as he said these words just slightly. Jason took the bat, and Whizzer’s face lit up out of pure joy. Jason would never admit that was the only reason he took the bat._

 

The three arrived at the baseball field after about an hour or so of walking, the trio trudging onto the abandoned baseball field. Jason smiled sadly down at the tire tracks still somehow left in the dirt from he and Whizzer’s last visit, about two days before his collapse during racquetball.

 

“Wow, this place is pretty dumpy,” Matthew murmured as he admired the weeds sticking out the cracks on the pavement. Heather scooped up a broken baseball from the grass, nodding as she unraveled the leather around the substance inside the ball.

 

“It’s perfect,” Jason shot both of them a toothy grin, and sped over to home, or what would be home, if the plates were still there. Matthew glanced up from the weeds, Heather smirking as she dropped the baseball back onto the ground.

 

“Next up to bat, it’s Jason Cohen!” Jason announced in a low, gravelly voice, attempting to sound like an adult. He scuffed his shoe into the sand, and held up his hands as though he were clutching a bat. “There’s never been a ball thrown that he couldn’t hit. That kid’s a star!”   


“Way to be humble, J!” Heather snickered, but she ran over to the pitcher’s mound all the same. Narrowing her eyes, she stuck her tongue out the side of her mouth in fake concentration, and clutched an imaginary ball. Winding back her arm, she threw it towards Jason, who swung his air-bat. Behind them, Matthew imitated a crack noise. Jason dropped the bat to the floor, and raced to 1st, passing that quickly due to his long legs.

 

“And he hits a homerun, right out of the ballpark! What can’t he do?” Matthew cupped his hands around his mouth as he shouted, to project his voice while Jason ran with all of his might. Heather’s hair blew in the wind he was stirring up, a star-struck look on her face. “Passes 1st, passes 2nd, passes 3rd… and the great Jason Cohen is safe!” Heather and he erupted into cheering, Jason wiping off a bit of dirt that had smeared across his cheek when he had dove onto the base dramatically, and bowed. The clapping slowed considerably, though, when the two applauding realized there was a third set of hands. Jason opened his eyes as the sound stopped to see Marvin standing there, a frail expression on his face. His hair was messy, the bags underneath his eyes were practically black. Jason swallowed nervously.

 

“When the school called me in a frenzy, I knew right away where you had gone with your friends,” Marvin explained, tucking his hands into the red sweatshirt he was wearing. He strolled up to Jason, and faltered for a moment. Jason shut his eyes tightly, and prepared himself for the screaming that was about to occur. Instead, a soft pair of arms slid around him, and he felt himself being pulled into a hug. Marvin smiled at Jason’s muffled gasp into his sweatshirt.

 

“You’re-you’re not gonna yell at me because I skipped?” Jason whispered, Marvin chuckling as he rolled his eyes.

 

“Kid, of course not,” Marvin wrapped a protective arm around his shoulders, then turned to Matthew and Heather. “Your parents are freaking out. Want me to drive you two back to the school?” the duo nodded quickly, and Marvin laughed again. It was still nice to hear the sound. He directed them into his car, Jason propping his legs up on the dashboard, like how’d he do whenever Whizzer drove him to the baseball diamond. Marvin would usually chastise him for it. He didn’t today, though.

 

As they dropped Heather and Matthew off, Matthew waved a goodbye to Marvin, before racing off towards his parents. Heather stuck her head through the open car window, and pressed a soft kiss to Jason’s cheek, biting both boys adieu. Her hair flew as she bounced away, Jason watching her with a dazed expression on his face. Marvin snickered at his son, and then drove them back to their apartment complex.

 

“So, Heather Levin, eh?” Marvin asked him when they had finally gotten through the apartment door, shucking off his shoes and ruffling his hair in the mirror they still had hanging by the door, though Whizzer had been the one to primarily use it.

 

“Heather Levin what?” Jason leapt about five feet in the air, squeaking out the question barely. Marvin smiled at him, and winked. It looked so similar to how Whizzer would whenever his parents were fighting, or when he was telling one of his elebatorate lies to get them out of trouble, Jason’s bottom lip quivered. He had promised he wouldn’t cry, at least, after the breakdown first period. Marvin noticed though, and knelt beside him.

 

“Oh, Jas,” Marvin murmured, and pulled his son tight to his chest, clutching him lovingly. “I know. I know.” Jason’s shoulders shook as he curled up into the tight hold of his father.

 

“I just miss him so much,” Jason choked out, tears beginning to rush down his face, dripping onto his acne-covered cheeks. He, sadly, had inherited them from Marvin. “It’s so hard without him here.”

 

“I miss him too,” Marvin admitted, not commenting on how Jason’s tears were soaking into his sweatshirt. “But Jason, at some point we have to just stand up and tell ourselves that we’re going to move on. That’s what Whiz would have wanted.” Marvin swallowed roughly.

 

“He would have sat you down and said ‘J, I know this is a tough time for you, but crying isn’t going to do anything to help the problem that’s at hand,’ and then he would have passed you on the back, and you’d replace that sadness with anger that this tragedy not only happened to us, but it’s happening to so many other people,” Marvin told him softly, and scooped up Jason in his arms to lead him over to the couch. “There’s people rioting and fighting back all over the country so that this sickness will get noticed.” Jason sniffled, and looked up at his dad.

 

“Really?” Jason raised an eyebrow questioningly, Marvin nodding reassuringly. “Whizzer would have loved that. Seeing people rally together.” Marvin smiled sadly down at his son, and turned away to cough into his sweatshirt. Jason’s eyes were too filled with tears still to notice the strange, gathering sores that was on the side of Marvin’s cheek, buried within his growing curls.

 

“Do you want a snack?” Marvin asked him after a moment, Jason shaking his head. He curled up into his dad’s embrace, the crying finally having stopped.

 

“I just wanna stay here for a minute,” Jason told him, and Marvin’s grip tightened around his small body. There they sat, shoes abandoned by the front door, as Heather was told off by her parents, Matthew announced to his mother that Jason had loved the cookies, and the two boys snuggled together on the couch fell asleep to the sounds of New York City.


End file.
